Lead (Pb):In the Metalworking Environment

Lead is a very soft and malleable blue-grey metal that is partially soluble in water. Pure lead (Pb) is a chemical element and a heavy metal. Lead can combine with many other materials to form numerous chemical compounds.

Occupational exposure to lead may occur in various ways, including; machining or grinding lead containing metals, melting pure lead, molding, soldering, removal or encapsulation of lead and/or lead containing compounds. There have even been cases where lead babbits have fallen into a metal removal fluid sump or system leading to significant buildup of lead content in the metal removal fluid. If lead based metals or alloys containing lead are machined and/or ground and a water based metalworking fluid is used, dissolved lead should be expected in the fluid mix. To help control the lead buildup in a metalworking fluid mix, effective removal of the metal fines and chips, as they are produced, is required.